Research/Policy Internship
Position description:
A private, non-profit local education foundation, the Boston Plan for Excellence (BPE) partners with the Boston Public Schools (BPS) to ensure each student achieves academic excellence and graduates fully prepared for college. We believe that transforming instruction and re-aligning central policies are crucial to reform efforts. At the direction of the Superintendent, we collaborate with district leadership to research, design, pilot, evaluate, and report on instructional and other initiatives so that successful efforts can be replicated district wide.
BPE is seeking a summer intern for 10-14 hours/week to assist in the development of a community mapping research project to help reveal potential neighborhood stressors/challenges as well as resources in BPS students’ communities. The intern would assist us in developing a neighborhood factor for individual students for the purposes of better understanding their needs. The intern would also help us develop a series of maps to answer key questions about some schools: for example, do certain schools have high concentrations of students with extreme levels of challenge (e.g., exposure to violent crime)? What school- and community-based resources can schools tap into in order to better meet the needs of their students? And what is the relationship of neighborhood distress to key outcome measures, such as student test scores, promotion, and ultimately graduation?
The ideal candidate will possess the following qualifications and experience:
§ Interest in urban education reform and policy issues.
§ Experience with GIS software, such as ArcGIS.
§ Familiarity with census data.
§ Excellent organizational and analytical skills.
§ Ability to communicate effectively and respectfully with colleagues.
§ Proficiency with MS Office, especially Excel. Experience with statistical programs a plus.
§ Some research experience preferred.
Compensation: $15-17/hour
To be considered for this opportunity, please send a resume and cover letter to:
Ila Deshmukh Towery
Boston Plan for Excellence
6 Beacon Street, Suite 615
Boston, MA 02118
Email: ideshmukhtowery@bpe.org
